Bulgaria May Face Grain Shortage in 2013

Radoslav Hristov, Deputy Chair of the National Association of Grain Producers, photo by BGNES

Radoslav Hristov, Deputy Chair of the National Association of Grain Producers, has warned about a looming grain crisis in Bulgaria in 2013 as a result of which bread prices could spike over BGN 2.

"After the abolition of national additional payments per area, the government will deal the heaviest blow to small and medium agricultural producers," Hristov said in a Thursday interview for Darik radio, commenting on the announcement for the suspension of this type of payments by Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov earlier the same day.

Hristov said that branch associations had not yet discussed national protests against the measure.

"There is a high probability that we import, rather than export, grain in 2013. There is a high probability that in the summer of 2013, parallel to the elections, we need to import grain and there is a grain crisis," he explained.

He said that if there was no substantial rainfall and the drought continued, Bulgaria would be forced to import grain, which would drive bread prices to BGN 2 and upwards.

"What more can I tell you about the drought. There's drought in Budget 2013, drought on the field, drought in the government, what better than that," the Deputy Chair of the National Association of Grain Producers exclaimed.